The Hokage and her Shadow
by roopshasil
Summary: A collection of oneshots and drabbles to feed your BoruSara addiction.
1. Chapter 1 : War of Roses

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. This is my first fanfiction. Please go easy on me. Enjoy.**

 **War of the Roses AU**

 **With alterations, fantasy elements and gender equality.**

 **Inspiration : Henry 7 x Elizabeth of York**

He was the York heir. The true heir to the throne of England. Bearing the Crest of White Rose. Boruto Uzumaki was betrayed by Kawaki who destroyed his clan, the Uzumaki, and killed his father, his hero, the King of England, Naruto Uzumaki. He was the rightful heir and yet all the forces behind him, the Hyuuga - his mother's clan - and the Senju and their allies, all rallying under the Yorkist white rose, were not enough to defeat the vile creature who had taken over the throne and the realm.

Alliance with the Lancasterians - the Uchiha and their allies - would mean certain victory. But putting three centuries long blood feud and rival claims to the throne behind them is not an easy feat. Boruto Uzumaki however steels himself and taking his mother's advice, approaches Sasuke Uchiha, the current leader of the House of Lancaster.

"A marital alliance?" Boruto hears his voice echoing in his head.

"Yes. My daughter, Sarada, is an excellent warrior and statesman. She will make a fine bride and Queen." The tall, dark figure of his new found ally, who had once been acknowledged by his father as the only man equal to him in the whole world, proposes. He pauses, and adds in a quieter voice, "You need mentorship. I will support you through my seat in the Parliament."

Before Boruto could even think about this, another set of onyx eyes met his. Only this time, his soul and heart were both set on fire. His head feels light and a blush blooms across this cheeks. A cool, confident smirk on her perfect face was returned with a stutter. The Lancasterian heiress curtsised graciously, the smirk still intact, her eyes never leaving his piercing blue ones, with her left fingers reaching out to her swan-like throat, gently pressing upon the pendant of her necklace, the rubies crafted perfectly to form the Lancasterian Crest of Red Rose, beautifully complementing her wine red dress, porcelain white skin and raven hair.

Boruto stood up majestically, his black cape not completely hiding his white clothes beneath. His golden locks resplendent in the sunlight filtering into the abbey where the meeting between the Yorkists and the Lancasterians is being hosted. The smile never left his lips which were now ghosting into a smirk. The stutter is gone. Confidence returns and he answers without even looking at Sasuke Uchiha, his eyes still on the dove-like creature.

"I accept."

A beautiful smile blossoms on her face. Boruto finds himself returning it with unhesitatingly. A fire had been lit in both their souls, hearts and bodies.

Sasuke looks over the two of them. He remembers his old rival and hopes his thoughts reach out to him in Heaven. "Perhaps this could work out after all."

England will be under the Crest of a rose. Only this time, it won't be either white or red.

It will be both. Red and White. York and Lancaster. Uchiha and Uzumaki.


	2. Chapter 2 : Please put some clothes on

**Prompt : "My parents are coming over in 10 minutes so please put some clothes on"**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own either Naruto or Boruto or any of their characters.**

 **Rated G**

* * *

"My parents are coming over in about ten minutes. So, please put some clothes on."

Sarada jerked awake from dozing off during a bath. The water in the bathtub had begun feeling lukewarm instead of hot. She turned her face around to see her husband's blonde head poking into the bathroom.

"Both of them?"

Sarada asked as raised her eyebrows and threw out her arms in askance of assistance. Boruto nodded tiredly as he stepped into the bathroom and helped her up with utmost caution, a steadying arm on one of her upper arms and one on the small of the back before shifting to her front.

His hand gently lingered on her huge pregnant belly, thirty-two weeks into her first pregnancy.

As her husband cautiously wrapped her in a bathrobe and guided her to their bedroom, Sarada stared up at his face. The dark circles under his eyes threatened to turn permanent while his body seemed to be barely holding itself perpendicular to the ground.

"You said you will sleep once you are done with completing your mission report."

"Yeah, I did. But I reached some technical difficulties."

"And what might it be?"

"I forgot the number of people I killed over the past two missions. The missions were S rank and back-to-back, and I was sleep-deprived, exhausted and distracted."

"Hmm….."

Boruto snatched up a brown floral print maternity dress lying on their bed and began dressing her up. At this advanced stage of pregnancy, Sarada found it very difficult to see even her toes, let alone dress herself up without assistance. She was not surprised though. Her mother had warned her. She was carrying triplets after all.

A rush of affection towards her husband erupted within her as she watched him rummage around the dressing table looking for a clutch clip. She waddled forward and pressed her front to his back, hugging him from behind. Boruto relaxed back into the hug, the tenseness in his body melting away and a soft smile brightening up his tired face.

The doorbell rang and familiar chakra signatures of his parents were recognised. Boruto turned around to give his wife a quick but firm peck on her lips and handed over the clip before guiding her happily downstairs towards their living room.


	3. Chapter 3 : Photoshoot

**Credit for the prompt "cameras and photographs" goes to iBloo.**

 **The vast difference in the original idea at this prompt and the final product continues to astound me. I hope this is up to your tastes.**

 **Inspired by an actual BoruSara cosplay, that poster of Boruto in a tuxedo by SP and Boruto SD.**

 **Post-Mujina arc but pre-Ao arc.**

 **Rating G**

 **Disclaimer** **: I do not own Naruto or Boruto or anything related to them.**

…..

"Alright, so tell me again. Why were all three of us hired?" Sarada's gruntled voice came from behind the doors of one of the vanity rooms in the clothes' trailer.

"Ah, the designer for this clothing line saw you and Boruto arguing in front of Thunder Burger and immediately picked up on your natural chemistry together. He wanted models for his new clothing line for teenagers and decided that the two of you together would be perfect to showcase his work. I and Sensei, I believe, on the other hand, were hired to prevent the two of you from murdering each other." Mitsuki explained calmly from his seat outside the door.

The former Land of Whirlpools, now a part of the Land of Fire, was quite a well known tourist spot and it's beaches were iconic. A paid work trip to this place was a blessing, particularly after the stinging probation imposed on Boruto.

A good thing too. In Konohamaru-Sensei's opinion, Boruto really needed to get out of Konoha, for at least a little while, where he was simultaneously either being insulted quite audibly for cheating or being drooled and fawned over for being a hero who was instrumental in rescuing the Seventh Hokage. The Chunin Exams was a sobering experience for the entire team, showing them that records and reputations in the shinobi world are as fickle as hell, and this trip was a blessing no matter how one looks at it.

"I know that! And he and I have no chemistry. Ugh…Boruto is going to make fun of me again." Sarada groaned.

"I don't think he will. You look quite pleasant in anything you wear." Mitsuki pointed out.

"He will! I just know it! He told me that cute clothes don't suit me at all just a few weeks ago!" Sarada's face flushed up in anger as the memory of the humiliating incident flashed before her eyes.

"Well, considering the clothes you are supposed to showcase are rather…risqué than cute, I sincerely doubt it." Mitsuki smiled in plain amusement.

"Hey guys! What do you think?"

The doors of a vanity room down the trailer opened up to reveal a grinning Boruto. Dressed sharply in a mahogany tuxedo, Boruto's beautiful blue eyes sparkled in contrast to his baby pink shirt and strawberry pink tie. His messy golden hair stood up handsomely. The white leather belt and black leather shoes complimented the entire attire beautifully. Boruto looked boyishly handsome.

"You look good." Mitsuki smiles appreciatively.

"Good?!" Boruto grinned cheekily as he appraised himself in a nearby floor length mirror. "I look great!"

Mitsuki chokes back a snicker at Boruto's enthusiasm. It is good to see him enjoying himself for the first time in a while. But now he had work to do. If he didn't, Boruto is going to die single and childless in all probability.

"So, I heard you told Sarada that cute clothes don't suit her." Mitsuki said, dropping his voice to a low volume and moving away from near Sarada's vanity room, lest she hears them through the door.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Boruto, sweating and grinning in chagrin, put up his hands in defence. "That one with it's frills and bows looked something out of Hima's wardrobe. That's not really Sarada's style. She usually wears preppy and schoolgirl."

"And risqué as well." Mitsuki pointed out, appreciating Boruto's fashion awareness.

"Umm…yeah. That too." Boruto's cheeks coloured up a bit. "Her clothes tend to be a bit…tomboyish, that aside. I was just caught off guard that day."

"I think Sarada would look very good in cute clothes." Mitsuki complimented his female teammate sincerely.

"I am not saying she won't-"

"Guys! What do you think?"

The doors of Sarada's vanity room threw open to reveal their female teammate. An audible gasp left Boruto's jaw wide open while Mitsuki's eyes lit up in appreciation. Her long legs were gracefully tipped with black low heeled ballerina shoes. The glossy black leather mini skirt had a black spaghetti top and a black lace overshirt tucked into it. A golden necklace with a crystal pendant hung around her neck while her lips were stained a glossy red. Sarada looked like a picture of allure and innocence simultaneously.

"You look very good." Mitsuki assured Sarada. "She does, doesn't she, Boruto?" Mitsuki turned to his 'sun', hoping silently that he doesn't screw up this time. The last time Sarada put in an effort in her appearance, he bluntly told her, on being asked by her whether she looked good, that she looked the same and that girls took a lot of time dressing up. Not that Boruto was wrong. Sarada looked pretty, which she did everyday, but it was clear as day that Sarada had expected a compliment for her extra effort.

But it seemed as though he need not worry. Boruto's hanging jaw, speechlessness, blushing cheeks, piercing look and sparkling wide eyes seemed to have sent Sarada into a blushing fit. She returned his appreciative glances, appraising him up and down, which in turn sent the boy into a blushing fit of his own.

"Umm…."

"Umm…..you…"

"….."

"….yes?"

"….you…."

"….."

"….."

"….."

"You two get along really well."

"No! We don't!" Two indignant voices replied back to their teammate simultaneously.

"We should get to the shoot if you two are done."

"Umm.. yes!"

"Y-Yeah, s-sure!"

…

"Is that a teen fashion magazine?" Shikamaru raised his eyebrow at Sai.

The group of four - Naruto, Sasuke, Sai and Shikamaru - were taking a rare lunch break at Ichiraku, waiting for their orders to arrive.

"Yes. Our children were quite all over this thing after their Ino-Shika-Cho training today, so I tried to be a little more fun teacher by asking them about what had actually interested them in the magazine. Turns out that there is quite an interesting photoshoot in it. Chocho was generous enough to lend it to me." Sai answered back with restrained amusement.

"And what would that be?" Sasuke looked frankly unimpressed. Being dragged into a lunch outing with the idiot, his replacement and an old classmate was not his idea of fun. But if this actually gave him some idea about what kids liked these days, it might help him bond with Sarada besides just training. Maybe he could buy her some clothes.

"Ah! Here it is!" Sai flipped to his intended page and slid the magazine towards a curious Naruto. An undignified howl left the Seventh Hokage's mouth within moments while his eyes threatened to fall out. A curious Sasuke and Shikamaru lent forward to look at the magazine's contents.

Boruto and Sarada were locked in an intimate spooning at an expensive looking beach resort. Boruto had his arms around Sarada who had her back to Boruto's chest while gently clutching onto his hands. The couple had their eyes locked into each other's. The hint of blush on both of their cheeks could be made out even in the pictures. It was not the only picture though. There were others. One had Boruto with his head on Sarada's lap while sharing an eyelock with her on a beach. Another had Sarada sitting on one of Boruto's legs and turned inwards towards him while they shared a smile at a restaurant. Another had Sarada happily embracing Boruto from behind in shallow sea waters.

The table had suddenly gone quiet. "Well." A nervous Shikamaru tried to salvage the situation. "This was their mission, so it can't be helped." A chill ran down his spine as he felt the temperature of the air around Sasuke drop inversely proportional to the increasing darkening aura around him.

"Naruto."

"Yeah?" A glazy eyed Naruto looked up towards his best friend.

"I need you to give me a training mission with your son for a few weeks. Preferably to a potentially hazardous dimension."

…..


	4. Chapter 4 : Lip balm

**Lip Balm**

… **..**

 **Inspired by my new lipbalm as well as my brother's rather pertinent observations about female makeup.**

 **Boruto and Sarada are nearly fourteen out here.**

 **Rating K+**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Boruto or anything related to them.**

…

Boruto stared blankly at the blue sky above in a daze. If one were to ask him about the stupidly mellow look on his face, he was sure that he could only gurgle out something incoherent. His entire face was burning red. The tips of his limbs felt as though they have been set on fire. His brain was mush. His entire body felt though it had been turned to jelly. His lips still tasted like berries.

Berry-flavoured lipbalm.

Sarada's lipbalm.

Boruto felt his entire body explode like a supernova at the thought of her. Falling on the ground over his back, Boruto tried to fight back the urge to squeal indecently and grabbed onto thin air to get himself back under control. Beating his thoughts back into coherence, Boruto tried to make sense of the events that transpired over the past few hours.

…..

Sarada, on their way back to Konoha from a three-day long escort mission, had requested for a short shopping break. "It will be only for an hour, Konohamaru-sensei." was all she quipped before she ran off towards the very glitzy and very feminine looking shop. Large posters advertising abominable amounts of feminine products completely eclipsed its glass windows.

Boruto had known his childhood friend to be a tomboy but not a stereotypical one. She liked her clothes stylish, elegant and neatly ironed. She was not scared of lizards and cockroaches. She liked her nails clean and shurikens hitting the target perfectly. She liked history books, mystery movies and romance novels. She had a sweet tooth and liked black tea. She liked breaking her targets' jaws with a single punch.

So, when that weird specimen of the female species came up with the sudden demand that she needed to buy a certain beauty product that was recently launched only in the Land of Wind and yet to be available in the Land of Fire, the looks she received from her three male teammates ranged from mild surprise to genuine dumbfoundedness. It's not that they had had never seen Sarada using beauty products, it's just that she never brought up such a topic with them, especially during missions. Sarada was always focused during her missions and "beauty" was the sacred territory which could only be shared with Chocho or her mother.

The marketplace of the town they were halting at in the Land of Wind was bustling with people. After Sarada had left without revealing what this urgently needed beauty product was, Konohamaru-sensei and Mitsuki decided to look for supplies. It's November and tonight was going to be especially chilly but Konohamaru wanted to reach Konoha as soon as possible. Hence, the night will be spent camping outdoors covering as much distance as possible.

"Stay with her." Konohamaru instructed his blonde student prior to leaving.

"Huh, why do I need to? Sarada can handle herself."

"I know - kore. But I don't like sending her off alone. Just stay with her."

"Ugh, alright - ttebasa."

It was no secret that the team led by Konohamaru was politically high profile, consisting of the Hokage's eldest child, the younger child of the Leader of the Village Hidden in Sound, and the sole heiress to the prestigious Uchiha clan. Criminals and worse had tried to abduct all three members of the genin team individually at one point of time or the other. However, when the three were together, nobody stood a chance. The trio were the miniature neo-Sannin in making, together overcoming whatever shortcomings they might have individually.

Sighing to himself and crossing his arms up behind his head, Boruto manages to slip into the ridiculously overcrowded shop. Letting his arms fall with a sigh and scanning around for his teammate, his eyes found Sarada.

She was standing at a heavily advertised counter. An elegantly dressed shop helper is presenting her a shade-card of numerous swatches of what seemed to be chapsticks. No, tinted chapsticks. Ah, tinted lip balm, he thought as his eyes read the name of the product that Sarada seems to favour as she is handed her chosen product. The crimson-coloured cover of the newly launched product in her hand flashes the words "Berry Sherbet" in cursive. She wears tinted lip balm these days, Boruto comes to an amused conclusion. The growing realisation that his childhood friend likes fruity-flavoured makeup is amusing.

Yup. Definitely amusing.

Wading through the crowd, Boruto reaches her. Sarada is holding a demo stick of the lip balm and looking the crimson-coloured swatch across her wrist contemplatively.

"You like this one - ttebasa?" Sarada whips around, her eyes widening and cheeks flaming up, her face wearing an expression of a deer caught in headlights. Boruto grins like a Cheshire cat. This is going to be fun.

"What is with women and their fascination to smell and taste like fruit salad?" Boruto said, grinning while pointing towards the numerous products stacked up on the racks - moisturisers, hand creams, face washes, scrubs and other products he cannot recognise - all expounding the delights and benefits of added "fruit extract" and "fruity flavours". The elegantly dressed shop helper gives him a scandalised look. Boruto ignores her.

"It's - not that - no, I like it. Yup. It's what I agree to be. I like it."

"You are not making any sense."

"I like makeup."

"And that was already an established fact before you stepped into this shop."

"Uh…"

"What are you so nervous about?"

Boruto frowned at the utterly floundering Sarada. There is no need to so nervous. Until and unless….

"Whatever are you buying this for?" Sarada only flushed red in response.

"Did Chocho put something stupid in your head again?"

"What?! Ugh! No!"

"Really? Because you have a tendency to go along with her crazy ideas."

"Uh…"

"You are a terrible liar. You know that?"

"…."

Boruto frowns at the flushing girl in front of him. She never gets this nervous unless she is going to try something very out of character and highly embarrassing by her standards. He knows this with absolute certainty because no matter how much he (or she for that matter) pins down the origins of their friendship to that of their parents', they are still friends in their own right. Childhood friends at that.

A gentle smacking noise brings his attention back to Sarada. Sarada had turned her back to him. Her entire body was now devoid of its earlier tension and now was casually leaning towards a body length mirror. Boruto's eyes fell on her slightly curvaceous body.

Attractive.

Boruto shook his head as soon as the word appeared in his mind.

It wasn't enough that he was always hyper aware of her presence while in his vicinity or her staring at him. Now he had to go ahead and be hyper aware of the her body as well. Boruto looked up into the mirror, freezing immediately as his eyes met Sarada's in the mirror. Her eyes had lit up in amusement. She was slowly applying her new bought lipbalm. The crimson colour slowly stained her natural pink lips, the stick moving in slow, alluring manner. Sarada turns around to Boruto. The crimson tinted smirk on her face grows wider.

The next thing Boruto remembers is Sarada.

Her slender neck and wrists. Her porcelain skin. Her dark and long eyelashes.

Her scent. Her taste.

His lips tasting hers.

…..

"I AM AN IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT!" Sarada screeched out while burying her head in her pillow.

"Well not so much of an idiot. More like an absolute moron." Chocho looked at her best friend with an absolute lack of sympathy, continuing to munch on her chips.

"Ugh! He has become an absolute pervert and creep since that day." Sarada looked up at her in a frenzy.

"Stalking you, turning up on your balcony in the middle of the night, asking you out on dates, sending you bouquets of your favourite red roses and teddy bears, randomly touching you, blushing like a tomato, writing poetry about you…." Chocho ticked off her fingers with feigned disinterest. "Sounds pretty romantic but yeah, also creepy."

"You said kissing him would tell him my feelings -shannaro!" Sarada pouted.

"Well yeah. That's what it did and this is his answer. That he can't get enough of you. That he wants more." Chocho said seriously. Sarada frowned at this thought.

"So if I accepted his advances, this craziness would stop." Sarada put forward doubtfully.

"Well it would definitely hopefully tone down a lot. I agree with Mitsuki on this." Chocho grimaced at the thought of the good looking jerk.

"Well….if that's the case. I guess I should go and meet him." Sarada got up from her bed.

"Yeah and take that lip balm along with you. Since he looked positively starved…." Chocho laughed out with mirth.

Sarada threw her pillow in her friend's way before grabbing hold of her purse and a pair of sandals and jumping out of her window.

As she sauntered out on the path which lead to Boruto's current location, she smirked. Having a positively lovesick boyfriend was not that bad of an idea.

…

 **This is not my best work. It gave a lot of trouble. Took me nearly six months to complete it. Please review my work. Thank you.**


	5. Chapter 5 : Heartbeat

**Credit to anon for the prompt "** **Could you do a fanfic involving Boruto listening to Sarada's heartbeat and/or performing CPR on her?"**

 **Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto or Boruto or anything related to them.**

 **Modern AU**

 **Rated T**

…..

 **Heartbeat**

… _.._

 _He has broad shoulders._

 _Very attractively broad shoulders._

This is the first thing that comes to Sarada's mind as she watched her husband rummage around the little bar at the corner of their suite, his back turned towards her.

 _Husband._

 _Her husband._

The idea of being married to Boruto was just settling in.

It's been nine hours since they married. The reception ended around two hours ago. She was still in her elegant wedding dress. The veil had been discarded and Sarada was contemplating undoing the intrinsically braided bun.

 _Let the man do the work. It boosts their ego if they get it right._

Aunt Ino's advice rang through her head and Sarada's hand jerked itself off the diamond tiara sitting atop her head at the edge of the bun. She got up from the cushy sofa in the lounge room and made her way to the windows. She could still see the vestiges of their wedding and reception at their five star hotel grounds.

Money had never been a problem. How could it, when she had been born into one of the most influential and wealthiest families in the country. The Uchiha zaibatsu dates back to the Meiji Restoration though her family's wealth pre-dates it. Uchiha Madara, her great-great-great-grandfather, had been the one who modernised the old businesses of the Uchiha and built its headquarters at Konoha, a then newly created prosperous suburb of Edo. His best friend, Hashirama of the Senju zaibatsu and one-time mayor of Edo, was also based at Konoha. The cordial relationship between the groups continued on till the generation of their great-grandson, Fugaku and Minato, respectively, when the friendship deepened thanks to the personal friendship of their wives, Uchiha Mikoto and Uzumaki Kushina. This friendship filtered down to the next generation as a fierce rivalry/best friendship/brotherhood to Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki which, in turn, unfortunately, led to their respective children, Sarada and Boruto, ending up growing up together since infancy. Growing up, she always knew that she had to bear the responsibility regarding the Uchiha Corporation. Her grandfather Fugaku was the current Chairman and her paternal uncle Itachi would be soon taking over.

The loss of Itachi's fertility at a young age due to treatment for cancer left him and Aunt Izumi childless and her parents' busy careers meant she remained an only child. She was made aware of the mountain of expectations that was heaped on her shoulders as the heiress to the Uchiha clan and its businesses at a tender age. This mountain included marrying a suitable man. And unfortunately, Boruto Uzumaki was deemed to be this _'most suitable man'._

Kushina belonged to the Uzumaki clan which owned the Uzushio zaibatsu. Minato's own great-grandmother on his mother Tsunade's side, Mito Uzumaki, had belonged to the same clan, and the two zaibatsus - the Senju and the Uzushio were hugely allied with each other and often looked after each other's business interests. This camp received further boost in influence and prestige when Minato and Kushina's son, Naruto, married Hinata, the heiress to the Hyuga zaibatsu. This triple company alliance, therefore, found its heir in Naruto and Hinata's first born, Boruto Uzumaki.

Sarada remembers how as mere toddlers in kindergarten, she and Boruto would play 'House' together on play dates arranged by their grandmothers. She would pretend to return from "work" while Boruto would welcome her back home, describing how their five "children" - a series of large soft animal toys - behaved the entire day while she was at "work". Their grandmothers snickered and fawned in the corner, gushing over their future mutual great-grandchildren.

Elementary school ripped their closeness apart. Rivalry was what was obvious to everyone at that age between boys and girls. Boys (aka Boruto) were stupid and that was as much of a fact as the sun rising in the east. He was a brat, a prodigy, a troublemaker, a star student and her rival. They moved around in their own (overlapping) friend groups. Their fights often threatened to become physical and it frequently invited a teacher's call to their parents. She still remembers Aunt Hinata's ( _it's Mother now_ , Sarada chides herself) disappointed look when the two of them nearly blew up the junior science laboratory during a fight. She also remembers the teasing she and Boruto endured those years the moment they had an interaction where they didn't try to throw down at each other.

 _There is the married couple._

 _Aww. You two look so good._

 _Husband and wife._

 _So, when are the wedding cards being printed?_

Junior high school began and she remembered the piercing look from his brilliant blue eyes sending a shiver down her spine. It was also the first time she realised that she wanted to keep looking at Boruto. Within six months in their first year, however, Boruto was caught cheating on a inter-school competition. It was less of him _really_ needing to cheat on the final test and more of him rebelling against his father. Though she knew he regretted it immensely afterwards, he was packed off to a boarding school at Switzerland.

 _It would discipline him. Being treated like an adult, that is. It will do him good._

 _Don't worry. He will come back to attend high school here in Japan._

Consolations meant little to a new teenager. She remembers contacting him via Skype with a tortured feeling in her gut and having his voice soothe her. He had promised to become a better man. For her. He told her that he let her down by not being honest. He didn't contact her for the two and half years afterwards. She threw herself in her studies, trying to distract herself from dreams of him violently crushing her lips with his and ravaging them.

She stills remembers the Boruto who had returned from Switzerland.

 _Muscular and taller._

 _Handsomer._

 _Hotter._

 _Sexier._

Her dreams the night after he had returned and given her an joyfully engulfing hug in his strong arms were full of moans and shivers. She woke up with sweating, panting and gasping. Within a week, for the first time, she was realised that the teasing between Boruto and her by others might actually have been a social and psychological ploy to make them fall for each other. It was a sugar-coated way of putting together the merger of the Senju-Uzumaki-Hyuga commercial group with the Uchiha Corporation. The former sought to eliminate competition by engulfing the Uchiha while the latter, in turn, realised that in face of mega corporations, it was difficult to survive alone. The easiest solution had already been in making for sixteen years - a marriage between the two heirs.

That's how three weeks later, she found a platinum ring encrusted with an elegantly cut pink diamond being pushed onto her ring finger by a gently and reassuringly smiling Boruto in front of an insanely large gathering. The party's glamour was to send out a warning to the rival companies. Their close allies - the Saru-Ino-Shika-Chou group - congratulated them profusely. At some point of time, she must have slipped out to the luxurious balcony of the hotel. She must have been crying and Boruto must have followed her out there to console her because she remembered giving Boruto a very wet and sloppy kiss on the lips. She could still feel how he drew his arms around her and practically engulfed her into him while ravaging her lips and leaving her far more out of breath and wanting than she had ever dreamt or imagined.

Being engaged at sixteen was not unusual in their elite private school. Most of their peers came from wealthy backgrounds, eager to preserve and promulgate their wealth and status. She knew that Inojin of the Yamanaka group would be engaged to Boruto's younger sister Himawari once she graduated middle school. There were many such couples, same as them, most trying their best to be a couple. Some were even married. Her paternal grandfather and his maternal grandfather, both a bit old-fashioned, had too insisted on a wedding instead of engagement.

 _You can have your own apartment. A trust fund will be set up for you both for expenses of any kind. You can have maids and butlers. And can hire nannies. We would like you to have an heir as soon as possible._

It was Boruto who had put his foot down.

 _Sarada and I are still quite young. And we would like to be as much hands on with our children as possible. We will marry after we both graduate from college._

She remembers being grateful for Boruto's suggestion (or rather blunt refusal). She remembers how his little acts of conjugal affection - buying her trinkets, making bentos for each other, taking her to dates, having fun together - increased slowly. Until one particular date, their affection turned into an intense make out session, leaving her gasping for breath and wanting him inside her.

They were seventeen when she could no longer stand the sexual tension anymore. The consummation of their relationship was exhilarating. It was funny, awkward, and made her heart burst and set her body on fire.

Yet it was missing.

 _Those three words._

She wanted to hear them and yet dreaded saying them. Sometimes, she wondered whether he did this out of duty. Or perhaps affection. Or just lust. Or maybe social expectations. She wondered whether he would do the same with another woman if he had been engaged to her.

They were eighteen and in the final year of their high school when they moved in together. It wasn't easy. Despite familiarity, it is extraordinary how much one can discover about another person - both good, bad, funny and annoying.

 _Oxford. BA in Jurisprudence. It's a three year course. And then I was hoping for an MBA. Perhaps I will continue at Oxford. Or maybe London. It lasts an year out there in UK._

His eyes shone brightly at her as she confirmed her own political science majors at Harvard. A four year course. Perfect timing too. They could return to Japan at the same time. And get married immediately afterwards.

She loved the long three months they would spend on road trips together at Europe during the summer vacations every year. She loved the excellent restaurants he took her to at Dubai. She loved their short trip to Egypt (she loved history, come on). She loved the internships they took up in various offices of their companies at Singapore and Hong Kong. She was less amused at the flirtatious belly dancer who practically threw herself at him at Istanbul.

She was further less amused at the hedonistic wedding their parents had arranged for them within a week of their return to Japan. Her friends managed to organise a wild bachelorette party. Boruto had actually kicked down a door to rescue a drunk Himawari from her sober fiancee. It made her wonder if Boruto would have liked to have a simpler wedding. Just the two of them. Exchanging words promising eternity.

The kiss at the wedding made her realise how cowardly she was being.

She should tell him.

She _had_ to tell him.

A clanging noise brought her out of her deep thoughts. Boruto was pouring one of the finest rosé wines known to mankind in two elegantly beautiful stemmed wine glasses with one hand. He had taken off his coat and was in the process of loosening his bowtie with his other hand.

"You will love this one. I promise. Kagura managed to get his hands on this baby in France. Great of him to actually remember our favourite wine. It is rare and I have only had it once."

Boruto looked up to find his bride, resplendent in white and waking up from deep in thought. Concern and insecurity immediately broke through their floodgates in his brain and heart and Boruto couldn't help but offer her a glass of wine with a concealed forced smile on his face.

"Hey! Cheer up. We did sign life imprisonment certificates today but that doesn't mean our marriage has to suck. If I can make you happy in bed and be responsible at work at the same time, I am sure we can work something out."

He watched as Sarada titled her dark head upwards, her beautiful onyx eyes watching him curiously from underneath her long eyelashes, her hands clasping together, her shoulders shaking slightly and her legs fidgeting. She looked downright innocently alluring.

Boruto had to resist that inherent animalistic urge to seize her, rip her wedding gown off and ravish her till she is sore and unconscious, and utterly soiled and filled by him. Boruto had to smack himself internally. That is not the first thing he should be doing right now. That was the last part of what he planned to do with Sarada. The first part of the plan was to make her comfortable. The second was to confess. The third depended on her response. He knew she won't react completely negatively. But if she returned even an inch of what he felt for her, he would happily promise her a lifetime of happiness together and go ahead with the last part with a fluttering heart.

If she didn't, he had no choice. He was expected to do the last part regardless of what she felt for him. The elders of the clans were seriously pressing them for an heir as soon as possible. And as far as he knew, Sarada had gone off contraception and was as fertile as she could be, as he was told rather obstinately by his mother-in-law, who seemed partially happy at the idea of grandchildren and mostly irritated at the idea of her only child being treated as a broodmare. Nevertheless, he and Sarada were both twenty-three and married. It's best to get started before they turned twenty-five.

He was surprised at the amount of emotion with which he thought about his personal plans and the utter tonelessness with which he thought about the actions he was expected to go through with. He wondered with a pang in his heart whether Sarada thought of everything regarding him as tonelessly as that.

Boruto knew he was expected to follow in his father and paternal grandfather's footsteps into becoming the Mayor of Tokyo, perhaps even aim to become the Prime Minister. But growing up with them and watching his two predecessors from close quarters managed to create a severe aversion to that idea. His paternal grandfather had little time for his much beloved wife and only son, and the said son, in turn, devoted his life to acquire his father's praise and acknowledgement by surpassing him as the elect to the office he once held.

Naruto never realised the completely unintentional neglect he meted out to his own beloved wife and two kids. Hinata was a mild woman with few spectacular dreams and wishes of her own beyond a happy and cosy home and family. She was happy to be a part time celebrity chef and cookbook author and a full time homemaker who supported her husband unconditionally, organising and hosting social events, parties and charities. Hima was quite young when their father began his full fledged political career, and despite his maternal uncle Neji taking over as the CEO of the Senju-Uzumaki-Hyuga company group, his father was still a member of the board and an active one at that. This ate up his time even further, unlike when his father was young, his grandfather Minato was only involved in politics while his grandmother Kushina was the CEO to the then smaller Senju-Uzumaki company.

Boruto still remembers how happy he was to play with Sarada and just be with Dad, Mom and Hima back in preschool. He just knew that one day he will grow up to have a family with Sarada just like his Dad did with his Mom. He was quite happy to chase her around the vast and old Japanese style gardens of the Hyuga estate while his maternal aunt Hanabi and her then boyfriend (and now husband) Konohamaru laughed out loud at his cheeky and stubborn remarks about not becoming the elusive Mayor or Prime Minister which kept his beloved paternal grandfather away from playing with him and Hima. His father would laugh it down and challenge him that he will change his mind soon enough.

His father lost the challenge.

All of that happy childhood changed when he entered elementary school. His father became the Mayor and his family became lonely. He now feels chagrined at how he took out his anger at his father at a starry eyed Sarada who had happily told him that she wanted to like Grandpa Minato and Uncle Naruto.

 _Go and become like them. And then stay alone for the rest of you life because people like you three are a nuisance to their families._

He still remembers Sarada's tear stained and stricken face. He did not even offer her an apology back then. He should not have been surprised when Sarada and his relationship soured after that. Friction increased whenever she seemed hell bent in following those stupid rules into becoming a model student and him in breaking them and escaping punishment by taking advantage of his status as a star student.

Junior high school was tougher and hormones did him no favour. Sarada's renewed nagging and his inexplicable desire to entertain her fancies of having a future political career got on his nerves more than before and he did not know whom to lash out at. He didn't know why then but all his excellent academic records failed to bring him his father's attention for even a bit. He lost his interest soon afterwards and stopped giving any new effort towards his academics, skating on past hard work.

It bit him in the ass when he cheated through an inter-school academic triathlon for which he had teamed up with Sarada and Mitsuki. He knew that he could have averted it but the opportunity was too valuable to be left to chance. He remembers guilt punching him in the gut when his best friend Shikadai, who actually deserved the first place, looking absolutely betrayed upon learning about his cheating and then, ripping his heart out when he looked at Sarada's heartbroken look. She was the one had brought their team together in the first place because of how prestigious the triathlon was. It was a sure ticket to a valued future career besides being personally felicitated by the Mayor himself. Something she knew he wanted desperately.

The next thing he knew that he was being packed up to an elite boarding school in Switzerland after he could barely apologise to Shikadai and be forgiven by him. He remembers being forgiven by nearly everyone.

 _Everyone. Except Sarada._

Who did not even meet him after the entire fiasco. Chocho informed him generously that Sarada had locked herself up in her room and was crying her eyes out till they are red, puffy and sore because she blamed both him and herself for what had happened. She did not open her balcony doors when he came to visit her the night before he left.

The next he heard from her was when she Skyped him at his new school. He remembers looking at her beautiful face. The stricken dewy porcelain face framed by black hair. Her beautiful onyx eyes, and pink and plump lips. He remembers the urge to grab hold of her and crushing her lips with his, even if it was through the laptop screen. He did not know how to respond to her forgiveness which she gave out quite easily even before he could complete his procrastination. He disconnected the line and threw himself into becoming a better person. He kept in touch with his _other_ friends. He did not contact _her_. He did not want any _distractions_.

Switzerland provided him with friends like Kagura, Tentou, Lily and Kawaki. Wonderful friends they were, but he missed Konoha. He missed his family and friends. He soon realised it was Sarada whom he missed the most.

He remembered getting down at Haneda airport two and half years later and Hima rushing into his arms. Shikadai came up and hugged him tightly, smiling happily at him as he did before. His childhood friends barraged around him, nagging him with questions, bluntly and shamelessly demanding gifts and treats for missed birthdays and events.

He remembers his feet unconsciously taking him to Sarada who stood at a distance, practically walking past his friends in a trance.

 _Longer hair and curvier body._

 _Seductively smiling at him._

 _Her pose inviting and her eyes softening._

His father's smile, his mother's hugs…suddenly, he was heralded as a responsible and promising eligible bachelor in the society. And a part of this new identity involved taking on a betrothed. The announcement of his and Sarada's engagement surprised him. Her unopposed and easy agreement further blew up his expectations.

He didn't know how to respond. He knew that his stint at Switzerland had changed him. Hard earned reputation and skills, the scar on his right eye thanks to fencing, his own newly found ambition to become a criminal lawyer while leading his company, modelling himself after Uncle Sasuke, Uncle Neji and Uncle Itachi and trying his best to keep up with his new found emotional balance, a _fiancee_ …..everything seemed to point towards success.

Yet the nagging feeling of _earning_ _her_ remained.

He had earned everything else. He had not earned her, much less her heart.

Sarada understood despite her initial protests. Her soft words soon became his motivation. He wanted to be the wind underneath her political dreams. Her initiating a kiss after their engagement sent him into a tizzy. It gave him hope of a passionate future together, one which _both_ of them _chose_ for themselves rather than just a business arrangement.

Then _The Night_ happened.

And all he remembered after that how he went from being flooded with happiness to being drowned in bliss. His years at high school still seems like a dream. Everything he did, he did for her. He couldn't believe that Sarada would actually _initiate_ intimacy. That too on a regular basis. But he couldn't help but wonder whether it is simply an extension of the comfortable familiarity they shared or the consequence of dutiful wifely affection that was expected out of her or perhaps both.

 _He couldn't help but be greedy._

 _He wanted more. He needed more._

 _He was parched and starved for more._

 _He wanted passion. And obsession. And devotion. And everything crazy associated._

 _He wanted to both express it and receive it._

 _He wanted to drown in her affection and cocoon himself in her warmth._

 _He wanted Sarada._

 _Completely in her bare glory. Mind, body, heart and soul._

The long distance relationship during college did little to dampen the desire and affection he felt for her. In fact, it possibly made him even more desperate to spend with her each and every moment they could get together during the semester holidays and the occasional vacations they took together.

The return to Japan, however, pulled him back to reality. Wild bachelor parties and hedonistic weddings apart, Sarada had become much more contemplative. And distant. He hadn't touched her in a while and she had shown no indication of any desire that she wanted to be loved and ravished like they had been doing for past six years. The lack of knowledge about what exactly her thoughts comprised of drove him crazy. At least, it was not about not getting married to him. Considering they both are standing here, their wedding bands gleaming in the light from setting sun streaming into the suite, he hopes desperately that it is not something that can shrivel him up and smash him from the inside.

"Boruto, I….I need to confess something to you."

His head jerked down instinctively, jerking his eyes off the increasingly darkening sky. Sarada had already emptied her glass of wine. His still had a bit left. Gathering up all his courage, he took an undignified swing and emptied out the contents into his stomach.

"Yes?"

Dread filled his stomach and he watched her set down her and his glasses on a nearby table and draw back the curtains of the floor length windows. The romantically scented and lit candles did little to assuage the sinking feeling in the pit of stomach.

"I…"

Dark eyes searched for reassurance and comfort in the bright ones, and instinctively and immediately received them. Sarada felt her body relax while Boruto realised that he was possibly _not_ going to die of a broken heart tonight.

A comfortable silence took over and Sarada inched closer to her husband. Boruto leaned in closer to his wife, towering over her and engulfing her in his arms. Sarada put her head on his chest, sighing and instinctively wrapping her arms around the only man she had ever loved and listened to his heartbeat.

" _ **I love you."**_

Unbridled elation filled his entire body and Boruto wrapped one of his arms tightly around her waist, unwilling to let her go while his other hand crept up to the neck of her off shoulder sweet heart cut gown. Despite the growing urge to _show_ her the reply to her confession, he knew he had spell it out first to the love of his life.

Gently unzipping the back of her dress with one hand and pushing down the dress down with his other hand in the front to reveal her utterly bare torso, Boruto gently fell down to his knees, wrapping both his arms tightly around her waist and pressed his lips to the place just above her bare breast on the left side of her torso.

 _He can feel her heartbeat on his lips._

" _ **I love you too."**_


	6. Chapter 6 : Little things

**Prompt : Day 4 "Banter" for BoruSara Week 2017 and "Here, take my blanket." Credit for the first one goes to mystic-libra while the latter one is thanks to iBloo.**

 **DISCLAIMER : I do not own Naruto, its franchise or anything related to it. All recognisable characters, situations and premises are copyright of Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media.**

 **Author Note : My first conversation-only drabble, so it's really short. Hope you guys like it.**

 **Rated G**

… **.**

"You snore, ya know."

"…I do _not_."

"You do."

"…."

"Don't squint at me like that - ttebasa!" "

"I will if you keeping spouting rubbish - shannaro!"

"I am not saying anything outlandish."

"Don't talk while brushing your teeth and when your mouth is full of foam. That's disgusting."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're not a heavy snorer, mind you."

"…"

"It's just that I can actually hear it."

"….What….does it sound like?"

"Like a very light whistling."

"Mhh."

"What is it?"

"It's just that Mama does that as well when she's asleep. I suppose I got that from her."

"That's a weird thing to get happy about - ttebasa."

"Yeah, I know but…"

"But what?"

"Nothing."

"No, tell me - ttebasa!"

"It's just that Mama and everyone always kept on saying how I am like Papa. Nobody other than Lord Seventh ever told me that I have anything which is like Mama."

"What? Does being like your Dad make you upset?"

"No, that's not it at all - shannaro! It's just for quite sometime I….well I wanted something of mine to match Mama's. That's it."

"So… _you snore like your mom_. Why would something like that make you this happy?"

"Not telling you!"

"…."

"What?"

"…."

"Stop that! Why the hell are you smirking like that?"

" _Not telling you._ "

"You idiot, tell me right now!"

"Hey! Stop getting into my face!"

"I will if you don't tell me why you were smirking like that."

"Yeesh! You are stubborn, aren't you - ttebasa? Alright then. I was wondering why you think you are nothing like your mom. Did you even _see_ that megaton punch of yours? That's so totally like Aunt Sakura!"

"Hehe! That's a secret!"

"What! No, tell me."

"Absolutely not."

"Sarada!"

"Boruto."

"Stop it!"

"Okay. Okay."

"…"

"…."

"You didn't answer my question though - ttebasa."

"…It's just that you know Papa left on that ultra-secret mission when I was just three, right?"

"Yeah…"

"I think, so that I don't forget about Papa, Mama and everyone always kept saying how I am exactly like Papa. But nobody ever told me anything that's like hers. So…"

"So, even a small thing like that makes you happy."

"Don't act so smug, Dummy, just because you caught up with why I am happy. Anyway, were you cold last night? Your sleeping bag was zipped up to your head."

"I didn't realise it would be so cold sleeping outside - ttebasa."

"Yeah, me neither. It's our first overnight mission, after all. I have an extra cover. Take it next time."

"Thanks, Sarada."

"You are welcome, Baka Boruto."

…..

"Here, take my blanket."

"Heh! Thanks Sarada."

"You are welcome idiot."

"…."

"…What is it?"

"This thing smells like hospital."

"….Ugh….Mama must have taken it to the hospital once again for an overnight shift and probably forgot to wash it. Sorry about it. Can you make do? You _are_ cold and don't have a spare blanket after all."

"Haah….I have deo. I can just spray it all over this thing if the smell bothers me too much."

"…."

"…What?"

"You have to be the dandiest guy I have had the misfortune of being acquainted with."

"Hey! Liking pink, strawberries, fashion and basic hygiene doesn't make me a dandy. And even if it does, dandies like me exist just like tomboys like you! Stop being sexist and stereotypical."

"…."

"….."

"….."

"Stop snickering! This is serious, ya know!"

"…..Oh God!….Never thought I will ever be hearing those words from a guy, let alone you…..Fine! You are right. I shouldn't pigeonhole your life choices with that of Chocho. She has a way better fashion sense than an idiotic dandy like you. Cha!"

"…..I feel _very very_ offended right now, ya know?"

"Deal with it, idiot Boruto!"

"I think you two make a great couple. Don't you think so too, Konohamaru-Sensei?"

" _WE DO NOT!"_

"…..Hey! You know what, Mitsuki? You are absolutely right. A dandy and a tomboy make a fine pair."

" _WE DO NOT!"_

"HAHAHAHAHA!"


	7. Chapter 7 : Burger

" **I can't wait to taste you on my lips."** **\- Prompt credits to ameerahzafar1313 from Tumblr.**

 **Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto or Boruto or anything related to them.**

 **Rating PG**

… **..**

"I can't wait to taste you on my lips."

Sarada couldn't believe it. That was Boruto's voice. From behind the door leading to Boruto's room.

Locked bedroom.

Sounding completely _seductive_ and _hoarse_.

No way. _Absolutely_ no way.

Only two hours ago, Mitsuki managed to convince Sarada to finally ( _finally_ ) confess her feelings to Boruto. Though she had been aware of her own feelings for the blonde idiot since she had been thirteen, Boruto's three year long training with her father away from the village as well her own training with Lord Seventh followed by all the disaster with Kara and the Otsutsuki clan had left her with little time to think about something as normal as dating. She had been consumed with perpetual worry and longing for her childhood friend over the past four years and she had precious little time to spare for her own leisure as the village rebuilt itself following Kawaki's destruction of Konoha.

She did not understand how Mitsuki managed to convince her to finally settle what she herself was sure was mutual sexual tension and tender feelings. He had solid logic though.

"He is seventeen and hormonal. So are you. So, the two of you better confess and get it on. That's for the good of your own sexual and emotional health. Masturbation can go only so far."

"Besides," Mitsuki added in a lilting voice, "He is a world renowned hero now. He has women throwing themselves at him. That's easy access to sex and he _might_ just take advantage of it."

Under her vicious glare at this statement, Mitsuki further added, "Ah. Don't worry too much about that. Boruto is very devoted to you, besides being your bodyguard.", and then left her office in the Hokage Tower, laughing mirthfully.

So here she was, standing in the newly rebuilt Uzumaki residence, entering it without alerting anyone thanks to the keys she possessed due to being the Hokage's apprentice. She knew Boruto was home and she knew that he knew she was here thanks to the sensory talent he had inherited from his Uzumaki father.

So, why the hell did he-

 _Was he masturbating? If he was, did he…did he imagine her doing that to him? Or think about her in a lecherous way? Want her with raw lust? Maybe she could go in and ….help him?_

A shuffling noise came from inside as Sarada rose her knuckles to knock. She heard something being torn and something heavy move. She heard padded noise. Like someone moving around. _More_ than _just_ someone moving around.

 _There was definitely someone in there besides him._

 _But how? She couldn't sense any chakra signature besides Boruto's._

 _Maybe a civilian. They usually had no chakra._

 _But why in the world would there be a civilian inside while Boruto was masturbating?_

 _Unless…._

Sarada's body froze from head to toe.

 _Did he have a civilian woman in his bedroom? Were they having sex? He was sleeping with someone?_ _Someone who is not her?_

Fury like never before coursed through her veins as she pulled back her fist to break the door down without chakra. It didn't matter. She didn't need it anyway. Not when hot and angry blood was flooding her brain. She is going to kill him. She was going to throw whoever that civilian hussy was out of the window and hope that she breaks her neck and dies and then proceed to crush each and every one of his bones until he was screaming for mercy.

 _How dare he? How could he? After all those longing stares and soft touches and those promises and that-_

"Sarada!"

The door wrenched open and a brightly grinning Boruto faced her. Sarada choked her punch back abruptly.

It had been more than a year since she had seen him smile so happily. Neither the scar over his eye nor the worry lines could make him look like a boy forced to grow up too soon like he usually did nowadays. He looked boyishly handsome and utterly happy.

"Can you believe it?! Thunder Burger re-opened!"

"Uh…"

"Come in!"

Boruto grabbed hold of her still raised hand and dragged her in. Four of his clones were seated in various places, all of them holding huge takeaways from Thunder Burger.

"I got the Mega Hamburger. It has seven layers of filling."

"I got the Red and Black Samurai burgers."

"I got the ultra spicy one."

"I have fries and nuggets. And some soda and chicken fingers. Black coffee too. Want some?"

Sarada stared at them, blinking slowly as she felt dread and anger flush out of her system rapidly.

The real one nudged her from behind. "I have some yakisoba buns and black tea as well.", pointing towards the takeaway bag on his bed, "Too bad Mitsuki couldn't come but it's great to have you out of that work prison."

"Uh…yeah. Too bad."

That was the idea Boruto was supposed to have anyway. A supposed team 7 get-together but she was thankful to Mitsuki for giving her some time alone with Boruto.

"Sorry about this but I bought way too much. I got carried away. It's been a while since I had burgers, ya know. I just can't wait to taste that ultra spicy one. I know it's going to burn down my intestines but my tongue wants it. Can't help it really."

Sarada turned around slowly to face the real Boruto. Her Boruto.

His face looked so bright and his eyes shone with happiness. Her heart clenched.

 _He is smiling after such a long time. A really long time. And here she was, worrying about his sexual fantasies and imaginary civilian hussies._

She wanted to savour this moment for as long as she could. She saw Boruto's eyebrows knit together a little and eye her with concern.

"Hey, you alright?"

Sarada smiled. Her confession can wait for a few more minutes. Right now she just wanted to hold on to whatever innocent was left of their fading childhood.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just trying not to choke on your stupidity."

Boruto grinned and flicked her nose, his eyes softening.

"Which one do you want out of the red and black burgers? The Mega and ultra spicy ones are mine though."

"Hmm…let's see…"


	8. Chapter 8 : Disobedience

**Disobedience**

 **This is a submit to BoruSara Fanfiction Week for Day 4's prompt : disobedience.**

 **Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto or Boruto or anything related to it.**

 **Rating : K+/G**

 **Indian mythology AU**

 _Destiny has a strange habit of disobeying your wishes._

If Sarada could have torn her hair off - or better, thrown the wedding garland on his face rather than around his neck - she would have. At least it would wipe off the smug smirk on his face.

She could have avoided this situation entirely. Really.

But _no_ , she _had_ to tempt fate.

She should have really listened to her naga grandparents when they told her to do tapasya to their lord - Lord Vishnu - to whom her ancestor Adishesha - the kings of the nagas - is one of his two vahanas. But she _had_ to remember the entire Skanda episode and the fiasco with his two wives (and the latter's reincarnations) and deny their suggestion. Her uncle Itachi pointed out that she can devote the tapasya to Lord Shiva. The man was easier to please and more lackadaisical with his boons. _Then_ she pointed out why and how Draupadi landed up in a polyandrous marriage which in turn led to the war at Kurukshetra.

 _Yeah._

Once tapasya was out of the way, how would King Fugaku - the current ruler of Nagaloka - marry off his immensely precious and beloved only grandchild? How would he find a man of merit, virtue and valour? His Sarada had demanded that the final choice of her husband should remain with her. It wasn't an extravagant demand. His granddaughter was highly educated in philosophy and scriptures, trained in warfare, delightful to sight and priceless to behold. Surely there must be someone out there, one who can be at her side unconditionally.

The only solution landed up being, with Sarada's approval, a swayamavara. Dozens of invitations to eligible bachelors were sent out. Princes, kings, warriors, sages and scholars of each and every realm and race were invited.

"Why did grandfather have to invite _him_?" Sarada muttered sullenly.

"Well, _he_ is the prince of the garudas. It would have looked incredibly rude if your grandfather didn't." Chocho answered back, her voluptuous figure, so typical of a yakshi, moved gracefully through the heap of fabric and ornaments which were to be a part of Sarada's bridal trousseau.

Sarada closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, willing herself to forget the man in question. She and Boruto grew up together since infancy. Their fathers were the ones who managed to bury the long standing rivalry between their races - the nagas and the garudas. Their mothers, his an apsara and hers a human who was a rishika, were also close. Somewhere, when and how she didn't remember, she and him became fierce rivals.

She rarely wanted to acknowledge back in their gurukula days under Guru Shino that she was mesmerised by his brilliantly blue eyes, found his golden plumage in his bird form and hair in his human form beautiful and his wit and charm disarming. She balmed her throbbing heart with denial. _Of course,_ his grin was so _annoying._ But by the time their education ended a few months ago and she finally buckled up courage to confess what was in her heart, she heard that Sumire was already doing tapasya to gain the husband she desired. It had been no secret that the beautiful mermaid had been smitten with the young garuda since long. So with a heavy heart, she turned her back on her intentions and requested to be married off as soon as possible.

It wasn't easy. The conditions she had laid down for her swayamavara were not acceptable to many. She had demanded unquestionable fidelity on part of her husband along with their willingness to become _her_ consort as well instead of just the other way around. A mighty proposition for many who expect polygyny to be the norm and had expected the throne of Nagaloka to be passed onto a distant male cousin of hers.

So, many long-winded, polite and bush-beating refusals arrived at her grandfather's court. The pain was dulled somewhat when she realised among the few acceptances of her conditions was one from Queen Kushina, the queen of garudas.

"Chill out. You should be happy that he didn't accept the invitation like Inojin or Shikadai or Metal or Mitsuki."

Sarada smiled. She had sent an addition of a choice of rakhi to those men whom she held close to her heart. It heartened her to learn that they all had accepted the rakhi along with the invitation and swore to be at her side as her "brothers" through everything.

She can't help but overthink about how Boruto's letter didn't mention anything about accepting her rakhi and instead sent her a set of the most beautiful anklets she had ever laid her eyes on. Rubies - the same stone as her nagamani - shone brightly alongside sapphires, emeralds and diamonds on solid gold. The design was exquisite and the craftsmanship impeccable and intricate.

She couldn't explain why but she had worn them to her swayamavara. She shouldn't have, ethically speaking. She wasn't going to interfere with Sumire's desire to marry Boruto, especially when Boruto had never given her any indication that he saw her as anything more than the oldest friend he had.

But here she was, decked in gorgeous bridal red and heavy temple gold, waiting for the tournament to end, in her chambers in the royal palace in netherworld. She glanced back at the large full-bodied mirror, standing proudly in a corner. It was crafted by Lord Vishwakarma, allowing passageway to the ones who will be able to complete each and everyone of the tasks set by her grandfather. They were not easy and she really doubted whether anyone could actually be declared a victor.

"Princess!" A servant called out to her, pointing towards the mirror. Her heart skipped a beat. She could see a faint glow from the mirror. There must be a victor. And now, she could set up a final test. If this person could see through her illusionary powers, she _might_ consider marrying him. Whether to actually marry him or not depended on her. If he didn't, well, she could have a hearty laugh about it later on.

The mirror shone blindingly brightly, as though the sun itself had descended in the chamber. She shut her eyes tightly. There's no way she could see anything. A pause followed followed by an outburst of giggles from her handmaidens.

"Oh my! Sarada, you are going to get _some sexy times_ tonight!" Her face burnt up red. She could hear the giggles of her entourage as they left the chambers. She could smell a familiar scent of Himalayan pinewood and fresh earth she could recognise anywhere in the world.

Her heartbeat sped up.

 _No way._

There's _no way_ this is real.

She wanted to open her eyes but she couldn't immediately after being caught by such a strong flash of light. Nagas had excellent sight and smell but sensitive eyes. Casting illusion required immense amount of magic all power and that also affected her speed of recovery. She could hear the man approach the balcony where she was waiting with the wedding garland in her hands.

He should not be able to see her. Her illusions were immensely powerful and his weakness had always been seeing through it.

"You know, I should have just jumped in through the balcony. The journey through the mirror was terrible. I feel a bit squeamish. I think you should move out of the way in case I end up puking."

Sarada's eyes flew open. A blurry mop of golden hair slowly refocused itself back into the face of her oldest friend.

"You can see me?!" She sputtered. Until and unless the moron was just taking a lucky guess, she would rather die of humiliation at her illusion being seen through by the idiot.

"Duh."

"How's that possible?" Boruto nodded towards her feet, ignoring her incredulity.

 _The anklets._

Boruto smirked, rapidly closing in the distance between the two of them. "Our Lord was the one who gave me the gold which was used to make those. He said that they were "pure" and had anti-illusionary powers. Came in handy since I knew you would be setting up illusions."

Sarada stared at him. This _guy_. This _brat_. This _imbecile._ Not only did he have an upper hand even before the swayamavara began, he was now giving her that absolutely annoying grin. How could she forget that his ancestor - Garudadeva - was the other of Lord Vishnu's two vahanas? And that he had always been teasing the two of them together.

"So?" Boruto raised a brow.

"So what?" Sarada glared at him viciously.

"Aren't you going to put that garland on me?"

"Whatever made you think that I am going to marry _you_?!"

Boruto waggled his eyebrows towards her ankles. Sarada flushed even more.

"I have a right to refuse you."

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself. What about Sumire?"

"What about her?" Boruto blinked in confusion.

"She is doing tapasya to have _you_ as her husband."

"Ah that, I don't want her. I never saw her as more than a friend. And...she is not doing that tapasya anymore. It's a, um, well, it's a long story."

"..."

"Listen, I know that-"

The chamber doors banged open. At least half of their families flooded in. Chattering, giggles and congratulations flooded the air while Boruto and Sarada looked on in bemusement. Sakura hugged Sarada tightly while Hinata nearly choked Boruto out of joy. Their parents, grandparents, his sister, everyone was there.

"Big Brother, why don't you have the garland around your neck?" Himawari was the first to notice that Boruto and Sarada are yet to choose each other as their significant other.

Sarada stiffened visibly. Boruto recovered from his previous bemusement immediately.

"You see, Sarada was just curious about how I actually saw through her illusion. _And_ she was so curious that she forgot that we are having a swayamavara out here. Even about the garland. But that's a good thing too. Now that everyone is here, why not do it in front of everyone. Nice idea, right Sarada?" Smugness oozed out of his grin. Sarada gritted her teeth and viciously pushed the other garland she was carrying into his hands.

"Hey!"

Sarada looked up to find gentleness in those brilliantly blue eyes. _Sigh._ She's hopeless.

 _Utterly. Absolutely. Completely. Hopeless._

The weight of a garland pressed around her neck. Boruto had chosen her as bride. Smirk melted off into a smile before blooming into a grin. Blush spread across her cheeks and she practically threw the garland around his neck, accepting him as her groom.

It is the beginning of a really long journey together.

"I think I still need to puke. I am still squeamish."

"Argh! Don't you dare do it on me."


End file.
